Director of Public Prosecutions has instructed law enforcement authorities to charge one of their colleagues with murder. The Director of Public Prosecutions is the preeminent law enforcement officer in Jamaica.
Authorities named the accused Constable Kevin Dilworth, 36, a police constable assigned to the Spanish Town P.D. in St. Catherine.
The charge stemmed from a serious traffic altercation on August 22, 2023. During the incident, the cop allegedly shot and killed a motorist after he reportedly threw soup at the cop, a seemingly trivial act that led to a tragic outcome. The Director of Public Prosecutions takes such cases very seriously.
Law enforcement identified the deceased as Conrad Mahaber, 47.
Dilworth appeared in the St. Catherine Parish Court on Tuesday, October 29. Senior Parish Court Judge Yvette Wenthworth-Miller granted the constable bail of $400,000.
During the bail application for Dilworth, attorney Althea Grant argued that he was not a flight risk. Furthermore, she said her client has served 13 years in the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
The presiding judge granted bail with condition. Dilworth is required to report to the Spanish Town police on Mondays and Saturdays.
He will reappear in court for committal proceedings on February 7, 2025, a crucial step in the legal process that will determine the next course of action.
According to the allegations, the ill-fated murder occurred on August 22, 2023. While driving on Brunswick Avenue, Dilworth identified himself as a police officer and instructed Mahaber to clear the road.
A verbal confrontation ensued as Mahaber disobeyed the constable’s lawful order and allegedly threw soup at him.
Dilworth claimed he observed Mahaber attempting to retrieve a firearm from his waistband. The constable said he was overcome with fear for his life. So, he fired his licensed weapon, hitting Mahaber in the upper body.
Law enforcement officers responded to the scene and seized a licensed Glock 17 pistol from Mahaber,
The officers swiftly transported Mahaber to the Spanish Town Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries after undergoing surgery.
In addition to murder, law enforcement charged Dilworth with using a firearm to commit a felony.
The Independent Commission of Investigations and the Inspectorate and Professional Standards Oversight Bureau conducted a meticulous investigation. They later submitted the file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, which issued its ruling on Tuesday.